Journey To Our First Farm-A Love Story (Part 6)

I don’t know why I was annoyed that day, but I was. I needed to go to the health food store in Parker. Emily wanted to come along. She wanted her boyfriend, Bret, to come along too. However, he couldn’t get to our house. He was seven miles east of our town at his friend’s house. It was out of my way and he needed to be picked up.

Emily and Bret had been dating for months now. He was a really nice kid and they seemed to bring out the best in each other. They had a miscarriage and in that dreadful event, Emily seemed to snap back into my old Emily. They had grown closer through it and were now practically inseparable. I drove to Kiowa to pick him up. Muttering to myself the whole way. As we pulled out of the drive to the trailer park after picking him up, I saw it. A derelict yellow house. Empty. For rent. It sat on two lots. One of which held a compilation of dilapidated raised beds. I called the number and left a message.

I went home and looked at Craig’s List, again, to see if anything new was available and there in front of me was the derelict yellow house in Kiowa! I perused the pictures posted there, the claw foot bathtub, the nice open living room, the old bedrooms and fell in love. I called again. Turns out it was one of my customers, Mary, that was the go between for the landlords living in Oklahoma and us. She gave us a rave review and we were in. We met Mary at the house to be shown around. Doug had not yet seen it. We drove into the driveway next to the raised beds. Visions of fresh soil and multiple varieties of vegetables filled our heads. A two car garage stood bravely ahead. The doors didn’t open well and it was quite old. Our cars wouldn’t actually fit in there, but it was a nice space for…whatever! As we entered the fenced in area behind the house we caught sight of the very old chicken coop. Slightly crooked, but begging to house feathered friends again. The old well was covered. The history of the house whispered to us as we walked gently through the yard. The long clothes line had me smitten at first glance. The wooden swing that sat under the giant elm hemmed in my lilac bushes set my imagination awhirl as I envisioned morning coffee and writing on the swing taking in the intoxication of the lilacs in spring. The deck in the back was fine for entertaining. We both loved it, and we hadn’t even seen the house yet.

My grandma and I when my grandparents came out to see the new place.Shyanne and her friend on the swing.Back of the house.

The two bedrooms and two baths would suit our purposes. The girls had to fight over who got the basement. Shyanne won.

Andrew was by then in an apartment in Denver going to college and pursuing his music career. My old Andy again. Shyanne had relaxed a bit too, becoming bored with being in trouble. She quickly found a job nearby and was consumed with school, work, and friends.

The old farmhouse kitchen was enchanting. Larger than the one we had before. I envisioned the farmgirls before me working swiftly around the kitchen in their aprons.

Doug and Emily setting the table.

The house had been built in 1920 and was on highway 86 on the main drag before the devastating flood in the 1930’s where it presumably was moved or floated to its present location here.

Emily and Grandpa

It even had a front porch. And a crooked pine tree out front. My, we were in love. We could have a huge garden, herbs, and chickens. We backed to the fairgrounds so it seemed our property went on and on. Our neighbors were all friendly and they didn’t know a thing about us. Perfect.

We painted and two weeks later we moved in. Then the real journey began…

Thank you. We have been wanting to get a farmhouse with lots of garden area, but I would be happy to find 5 cheap acres and put a reconstructed double wide and raise the roof to peak, I get so disillusioned thinking were never going to find something we can afford. your story gives me hope that GOD can do whatever he likes and if we are to have it nobody can stop it , now that we just have ears to hear and eyes to see, cause I’m knocking!!!!! I loved reading this and am following! I am scared to have chickens and all the animals my heart would just break if any got killed, but then again I want eggs and milk and all . gardening and all I can handle. thank you ,I look forward to every article!!! Glad the kids have calmed down I know we had a terrible time for some years as well. glad they are grown on their own, yet, I still worry all the time and it pains me when I see them making mistakes. but they have to learn, and I realize I am still here after learning all mine the hard way! sincerely, sharri

You know, I am not crazy about electronics and computers and such (give me back my old type writer!) but the lovely thing about the internet is that it makes the world so much smaller. We can inspire each other, correspond with each other, pray for each other, watch each other grow. I love how this blog and other forms of social media make us all instant friends. I appreciate you reading. Thanks so much! May that double wide (or better!) on a quarter acre or twenty acres hurry up and get to you!

Farmgirl school is my long time blog about all things homesteading and simple living. From canning, to celebrating the old agricultural holidays, to making wine, to chasing chickens, we live in the moment and savor the good life on our urban farm. My husband and I live in a 93 year old adobe farmhouse in Pueblo, Colorado with several cats, chickens, and a farm dog puppy. My daughter and I own White Wolf Medicine, a traditional herbal pharmacy. All of my books can be found on Amazon at http://Amazon.com/author/katiesanders